MNOS capacitors are often advantageously used. M represents a conductor such as metal but more frequently is polysilicon. N is a nitride layer. O is an oxide layer preferably SiO.sub.2 and S is the silicon substrate. A problem with MNOS capacitors is that the interface states density in MNOS capacitors is higher than that in MOS (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) capacitors due to the fact tha nitride is a diffusion barrier to molecular hydrogen which passivate the interface states. Alternative ways to introduce hydrogen into the active area in the MNOS devices is performed by removing the nitride in the field oxide in the vicinity of device active area followed by annealing in hydrogen at 1000.degree. C. to laterally drive the hydrogen to the active Si/SiO.sub.2 interface, or, by implanting hydrogen into the field oxide area followed by annealing at 450.degree. C. also to laterally drive the hydrogen to the device active area.